Of Life Debts, Courtships and Cookies
by LilTinyBee
Summary: The trials and tribulations of Loki Odinson on Midgard as he struggles to understand and survive the likes of Jane Foster. Lokane.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: A new Lokane story! Loki is going to be a bit OOC, but I'll try not to go off the track too far. I was thinking that we need a new light-hearted, humorous story for this ship! There are so many awesome, epic stories out there so here's something a bit different. I hope you enjoy!

Enjoy!

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**Chapter One**

The first time Loki came to see Jane after his fall from the Asbru Bridge, he really did intend to kill her. Truly. Or, do some sort of bodily harm at the very least. His pent up rage and anguish needed a release.

And, although he was unsure of how long he had been in limbo between worlds, Loki was certain that he'd landed on Midgard. Very unfortunately certain because he had, at the last moment, chosen the bright, blue realm over an unknown quadrant of space. He wasn't sure why he'd chosen the same horrid realm that had turned his so-called brother into a simpering fool.

He'd walked all the way from his drop site in the desert far from Puente Antiguo feeling all fifteen pounds of the helmet on his head and even more so the sheer weight of leather and armor of his suit. He would have whisked these items away by magic, but he needed to conserve his powers. Loki knew he'd been injured from the great explosion of the bridge and then his subsequent fall, and much of his magic had been spent on cushioning and guiding his aimless fall through time and space rather than on healing himself. But, he was determined to have some satisfaction before the day was out. He would not need magic to wring the neck of the annoying, little mortal wench.

It was late and the town was quiet. There was little light beyond the tall lamps lining the streets. He noted the portions of the town that had been damaged in Thor's fight with the Destroyer. Multiple buildings had wooden coverings over their broken doors and windows while others had scaffolding surrounding them indicating their repair. Evidently, much time had passed in this realm.

Loki could see the brightly lit building from afar and had no problem seeing his brother's...no... Prince Thor's midgardian distraction. Jane Foster with her piercing, deep brown eyes that had captivated the Thunder God. He'd caught glimpses of her through the eyes of the Destroyer.

...

Jane moved back and forth from her workstation to the enormous board pinned with all of their most recent and important calculations. Everything needed to be organized and catalogued.

Darcy had long since retired to her room while Erik had left a few days earlier to return to New York for a meeting at SHIELD headquarters. They'd accomplished so much in the four months that Thor had departed. They had managed to open the bridge enough to successfully send a small canister back and forth with Asgard. They'd exchanged messages and plans for expanding the capabilities of the bridge. However, at the moment, that was all they could do since a great deal more power was needed to transport larger objects let alone people.

The important thing was Jane was able to correspond with Thor. He'd written long letters detailing what had transpired upon his return. They'd managed to avert war with Jotunheim for the time being. His fight with his brother and losing him. His hurt at the loss of his brother had overridden any feelings of anger. Odin, too, shared the sentiment. They regretted not having the chance to tell Loki that blood didn't matter. Family was family.  
Loki stopped just in front of the opened doors of the garage. He wondered how he should kill her. How satisfying it would be to see the dying light in her eyes. The look of shock on her face as her heart ceased its rhythm. Should he send his memories of her last moments as a gift to her beloved? Loki's stomach flipped unevenly – he must have been tired. He shook it off.

Ignoring the sharp, burning ache emanating from his wounds, he pulled himself together and stood tall. If he gave a thought to himself, he might have recognized the tell-tale lightness in his head caused by his injuries. But, he did not allow himself to dwell on it. He would heal himself soon enough.

He strode into the garage purposefully and moved towards the woman. The sneer on his face turned into a devilish grin as Jane whipped her head to see the intruder advancing quickly. His boots made muted, but deliberate footfalls on the concrete floor.

"Who-" Jane frowned as she took in the leather and armor adorning the angry intruder. His horned helmet was a dead giveaway.

She had, perhaps, seconds before the seething God reached her. She looked around for a weapon - anything that might make even a miniscule difference between life and death. There were stacks of loose paper, a few magazines, and pens on the table in front of her... nothing with much heft. Where was Darcy's Taser when she needed it? Then, she saw a loose cord peeping out from underneath a file folder and she remembered what she had carelessly tossed onto the table the day before.

Jane dashed her hands underneath the files for the object and immediately threw it with all of her might at the God of Mischief. She still had a pretty good arm from playing softball throughout her high school years.

Time seemed to slow down as the projectile sped through the air. Just yesterday, she had finally swapped out the giant, archaic roller ball mouse with a sleek, new wireless optical mouse. Jane watched in horror as the mouse connected loudly with the God's aristocratic nose causing him to flinch backwards. A millisecond later, the purple ps2 connector at the end of the cord followed and whipped him soundly in the left eye as well. Then, the mouse clattered to the floor somewhere off to the side and it was quiet again.

Jane stared disbelievingly at the god standing motionless on the other side of the table in front of her. It was deathly quiet as he held his hand over his nose and glared at the brunette. She could have sworn that his left eye was slightly tearing. It looks could have killed... they would have.

Loki couldn't believe that the Thor's human had the gall to assault him. He supposed that he was very minutely impressed, but he was focusing his thoughts more on how to prolong her suffering with interesting torture techniques.

"You dare to raise your hand to strike a God, you insignificant, worthless mortal! You will pay for your insolence!" He growled as he stalked around the table to reach her.

Jane squeaked with fright as she backed away in the opposite direction holding her hands out at arm's length in a defensive posture.

"Now just hang on a moment here," She gasped. "I have no quarrel with you."

"No," Loki laughed menacingly. "But, I made a promise to my dear brother to pay you a visit. And, I _do _enjoy keeping my promises."

"Thor?" Jane gasped. She moved towards her computer workstation where there was a better selection of equipment to throw. She grabbed her blue Celestine geode paperweight in one hand and an old metal stapler with her right.

"Your hero?" Loki laughed unkindly. "He won't be coming to rescue you anytime soon, Miss Foster."

"Of course, he isn't." Jane snapped. "The Bifrost has been destroyed. It will take years to rebuild. I may not even get to see Thor again in my lifetime."

Jane crossed her arms in defiance. She was not a simpleton and she was not uninformed.

Loki was taken aback. This mere slip of a woman was not nearly as afraid of him as he imagined she would be. Not only that, it didn't appear that she was going to be a very good option for revenge anymore either. He had no desire to return to Asgard in the near future and if Thor wasn't planning on returning to Midgard to reunite with Jane, their paths were not to going to cross anytime soon. He was suddenly unsure of his purpose and plans.

Of course, he could still kill her quite easily just for the fun of it. But, he had never been much of a sadist in the past. However, he could make an exception this time. He gazed back at Jane with a slight gleam in his eye.

Jane narrowed her eyes at Loki and all but snarled at him, "Oh, no you don't! Don't even think about it."

She wound up her arm and shot the stapler straight at the God standing only a few yards away. At the last moment, Loki seemed to deflect the trajectory of the stapler, but it still managed to clip him at the edge of his forehead leaving a short trail of red in its wake.

"Will you cease throwing objects at me, woman!" Loki growled exasperatedly.

"Stop trying to kill me then!" Jane shouted back at him and quickly transferred the geode to her dominant hand and readied herself for her next shot. If she hit him with the heavy paperweight, it would be sure to do at least some bodily damage which would give her some time to try to get to the knives in the kitchenette.

The God of Mischief closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled loudly. This was not going well.

"Leave me alone!" Jane shouted. "Go and work out your issues with Thor and Odin."

Loki was quiet for several moments. When he finally opened his eyes again, the anger in his eyes seemed to have dimmed just a fraction.

"Would that I could, Miss Foster. It appears that I am stuck on this forsaken rock for the time being." He bit out.

"Well, bully for you!" Jane shot back. "Stuck on Earth just like your brother. Let's see if _you_learn something from this little lesson."

"You forget your place, Midgardian." Loki growled and lunged for Jane. "Do not think that I will succumb to your charms like that oaf did so easily."

Without a second thought, Jane heaved the geode with all of her might. Luck was on her side this night. She heard a loud clang of metal and a pained grunt as she dashed to the kitchenette to grab the least dull knife she could find

"Blasted woman!" Loki grumbled and turned to follow Jane. For some reason, his reflexes were slower than usual.

"What is it with me and Asgardians?" Jane thought to herself and she hurriedly grabbed a few steak knives and a long, serrated-edged bread knife.

"Have you no honor or decency at all?" Jane screeched. "I'm just a defenseless mortal. I probably don't even register on your radar."

Loki raised an eyebrow and cocked his head to the side, "I wouldn't exactly call you defenseless at the moment. I commend you on your futile efforts."

..

With his next step, his left knee suddenly decided to lock up causing him to stumble into the counter. Loki's vision blurred and his head felt lighter than it should have. He tried shaking his head to clear it, but it made him see stars instead. The cold hand of reality slapped him in the face.

"It seems that I have made a small miscalculation, Miss Foster." He swayed as he looked at the brunette.

"What?" Jane said while keeping the bread knife held out at arm's length in front of her. She realized that the already pale god had suddenly gone even whiter. "You're injured."

Jane looked behind Loki and for the first time noted the trail of blood left on the concrete floor. Where the god currently stood, a puddle of dark fluid was beginning to pool at his feet.

Loki pushed himself away from the counter with a great deal of effort and turned towards the door. He clutched his side and Jane could see red that settled in his hands.

"Hey-" Jane wasn't sure what she wanted to say.

Her would-be killer was just going to up and walk away. Loki Odinson of Asgard... a brother that Thor still loved despite everything that had happened. He had told her much in his letters, but she could tell that there was a lot more to the story than a few paragraphs could explain. The only thing she knew was that Thor and the rest of his family were very much in mourning.

"Crap," Jane shook her head as she dropped her collection of knives on the counter and ran after the faltering God. "I'm going to regret this. I'm definitely going to regret this."

"Wait!" Jane ran in front of Loki holding her hands in front of her to stop him. "You're hurt... badly."

"Your powers of perception are truly astounding, Miss Foster." Loki said as he pushed past her.

"Just... just wait. You need a doctor."

"This realm's healing practices are barbaric at best. I'll take care of this myself," He looked down at Jane who had moved to his side. "I'll have to call on you again another time."

He tried to take another step, but a jolt of pain washed over his body causing his eyes to squeeze shut and his breath to hitch. Loki swayed and Jane caught his arm to steady him.

"Sure, sure." Jane rolled her eyes and pulled the towering God to the sitting area near the entrance. "You Asgardians and your lofty promises. All talk."

Loki slumped onto the white pleather sofa hissing in obvious discomfort.

"Hang on," Jane ran towards the kitchen. "I'll grab some towels and the first aid kit."

..

Loki wasn't about to be indebted to a mortal so he gathered his strength and attempted to stand. He was mildly worried that his injuries had worsened so suddenly. It _must_ have been the misfortune of being in the company of a midgardian.

Jane watched as if in slow motion as Loki tried to stand and crashed to the floor.

"Ah, not the on the rug! I liked that rug." She lamented.

Kneeling next to Loki, she could see that his breaths were coming in short gasps. His hands and armor were covered in blood and mingled with the slightly orange dust and sand from the desert. Jane could see that his ridiculously cumbersome helmet didn't allow him to lie back comfortably.

"I need to see what is going on with your injuries," Jane tentatively pulled Loki's leather overcoat to the side.

"Spare me your misplaced sentiments, Miss Foster," Loki hissed. "You would be wise to end me now. When I am whole again- make no mistake, I will return for you."

Jane moved his hands away from the biggest, most obvious wound in his belly he was clutching tighly and pressed a kitchen towel into it eliciting a sharp growl and curse from the God.

"I've heard that one before," Jane grumbled out loud, but the comment was meant for herself. "And, what decent person would kick someone when they're down anyway?"

The pressure seemed to staunch the flow of blood, but Jane could feel at least several unnatural protrusions in the area of the wounds. She opened the "first aid kit", it was actually her ex's medical supply kit that he had left behind. There were sterile instruments still in their packaging along with gauze, sutures and disinfectant in it. Jane put on some gloves and found forceps and a small clamp-like instrument. She hoped that she could extract the foreign objects without too much trouble.

Jane pulled at the dark leather and metal confines of Loki's armor in an attempt to remove it, but it held tight and she could not figure out a way to divest him of the suit.

"Don't touch me," Loki said with annoyance, but without much fight. He was weakening. "Leave me be, midgardian."

"Stop being such a baby and help me get this thing off of you." Jane said as she threw her hands up in the air in frustration. "I'm guessing that if you could have healed yourself, you would have already done it so just suck it up and let me help you."

"I don't see the point," he sighed and closed his eyes. He regretted his next words as they left his mouth. They sounded pathetic and weak and not like him at all. "No one will miss me."

"Okay," Jane was at her wit's end. "You're a psychopath and you're also delusional. Your family is up there in Asgard right now mourning for your sorry ass because they think you're dead. They're doing that hundred day funeral thing for you."

Loki opened his eyes slowly. The royal funeral rite was only reserved only for fallen kings of the Realm Eternal. He thought for a moment and then shook his head. Those idiots thought him dead even when he had summoned his helmet off the bridge to protect himself as fell.

"Odin tries to assuage his guilt," Loki said with bitterness in his tone.

Jane threw up her arms and shouted, "You're an idiot. I don't care if you believe me or not. But, what you are going to do is get this absurd outfit off. I'm cleaning up your wounds and then you can go to Hell or wherever it is you like. You hear me?"

For a moment, Jane thought that Loki really was going to sit up and strangle the life out of her. Instead, he blinked twice and then gave her a small smirk.

It occurred to Loki, just then, that dying was not as appealing an option as he thought. He realized that the pieces of the Asbru Bridge lodged in his body were inhibiting his magical abilities. If they were removed, he would require very little time to recover from his injuries. If the midgardian was willing to help him, then he would take advantage of her unsolicited, foolish kindness.

"Bossy little thing, aren't you?" He sounded a little dreamy as his armor shimmered and faded away. He was left bare to the waist wearing only dark linen-like trousers and his awful boots.

Jane was actually surprised that Loki gave in that easily. But, it was no matter to her. The faster she did this, the faster she could leave his presence.

She worked as quickly as she could to remove the peculiar shrapnel from his body. Some pieces were small- the size of dimes. But, there were larger ones that drew stifled groans from her patient. Mercifully, for Jane's nerves, Loki passed out before the last few large pieces were removed. The biggest piece looked like a small slice of pie.

It wasn't pretty, but Jane stitched up the largest of the wounds and used tape strips to close the rest. When she was finished, she cleansed the wounds and wiped all the blood away. She was sure that if Loki had been human, he would have died from blood loss hours ago.

...

When it was all over, Jane covered him with a warm blanket and sat down beside him. She finally allowed herself to take a deep breath and try to calm her frayed nerves. She had gone from near- murder victim to nurse faster than she could recite the moons of Jupiter... and there were only four. But, it's what Thor would have wanted and besides that, Jane was not the type to refuse help to someone who so obviously needed it.

Seeing that his ridiculous-looking horned helmet was preventing him from lying back at a proper angle, Jane decided to remove it. It took more than a little tugging to dislodge it, but Loki was out cold and didn't so much as twitch when the golden helmet was finally came away from his head.

For the first time that night, she took the time to really look at the god who had strolled into Smith Motors intent on doing her harm. He was the complete opposite of the Thunder God. Where Thor was blond, muscular and bulky, Loki was dark, lean and lanky. His hair, still neat and tidy, fell in very slight waves to the nape of his neck. When asleep, his features were rather handsome and angelic- worlds apart from the cynical sneer that she had observed most often on his face that evening. What a shame it was to have that much grief and disappointment to cause such loathing inside one person.

"They do love you, you know," she found herself softly telling him even though he could not hear her. "Thor writes about you all the time. He's heartbroken and so are your mother and father."

Jane looked outside and saw the faint, glowing illumination of early dawn on the horizon. Loki did not stir as she gently lifted his head and put a soft cushion beneath it before retreating to the illusion of safety inside her trailer.

She slept fitfully with a baseball bat next to her and the geode firmly grasped in her hands.

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Lovely readers… please do me the honor of leaving a quick comment or review? Hugs to you all!

Loki's misfortunes on Midgard will continue! New chapter coming soon!


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks for tuning in for this next chapter! And, thank you so much to all who left a review :) Just a few words are a huge encouragement for me. Enjoy!_

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**Chapter Two**

The next time Loki showed up in Jane Foster's life, she was miles away from the once peaceful town of Puente Antiguo. She would take with her the memories, good and bad, of a redeemed god, a lifelong friendship with one Darcy Lewis, the near decimation of the town, amazing breakthroughs in astrophysics as well as another god that Jane didn't quite know what to make of.

She had packed up all her research and moved across the country to New York in order to work at SHIELD's state-of-the-art facility full-time, but more importantly to be near to the fractional gateway they had managed to open to Asgard. Jane no longer needed to be close to the New Mexico drop site after the destruction of the bridge and all sources of data had been exhausted. She had previously been flying back and forth between the two sites which was impractical and unnecessary.

Six weeks post-move, Jane was finally getting down to unpacking her boxes and making her apartment feel like a real home. SHIELD had provided her with a rather generous housing allowance in addition to her salary. And, Pepper Stark had taken it upon herself to rent out a gorgeous apartment with vaulted ceilings and plenty of natural light in one of their new developments at a great price. She had an amazing view of the Manhattan skyline as well as a good-sized balcony. When Pepper found out that Jane had been living out of a trailer for nigh on five years and no furniture, she had asked what type of decor Jane preferred- simple, but comfortable and modern. When the brunette had stepped into the apartment for the first time, she'd just about fainted at the sheer beauty and welcoming warmth of the space. The place looked like it belonged in a magazine. No doubt it was impeccably furnished and decorated, but Jane also had a few adjustments to make here and there. With all her pictures of family and friends and her keepsakes, it was soon becoming a tranquil and inviting place to live in.

…

Jane was down her last three boxes when she noticed a slight shift in the air around her. The fine hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she spun around just in time to see a figure finish materializing from nothingness to reclining on her couch.

_Curious_. Loki arched an eyebrow in contemplation as he made a note of the midgardian's unusual ability to sense his arrival. He would file that thought away for later.

"Did you really think that I would not be able to find you, Jane Foster?" Loki drawled as he put his hands behind his head and relaxed. "There is no place in which to hide where I cannot find you."

Taking a deep, calming breath, Jane decided that she simply wasn't going to give Loki the satisfaction of seeing her panic. She knelt down on the hardwood floor and reached for another picture frame wrapped in newspaper before she answered.

"I think you're giving yourself a little too much credit." Jane shrugged. "I was already packing up to leave New Mexico when you _kindly _stopped by for a visit."

The morning after Jane had patched up Loki, she had crept slowly from her trailer to the garage with her baseball bat in hand to see if the Asgardian was still alive. Instead, she found that he had already left and the only trace of him had been all the blood which made the place look like the scene of a massacre. Jane had scrubbed the floor for hours as Darcy had refused to set foot into the building when she had seen its state. The pretty, cream-colored rug she had liked was, of course, a lost cause.

"What do you want this time, Loki?" Jane asked bluntly.

Loki was dressed down compared to his elaborate armor she had previously seen him in. He wore a mandarin-collared deep, midnight blue tunic with black leather bracers on his forearms that were embellished with burnished metal pieces. The design of the metallic plates continued through his dark leather pants and onto his ugly boots. This time his dark hair was combed back instead of hanging loosely and for some reason Jane found that she didn't like that as much. The Asgardian definitely could have been considered handsome if and when his smug opinion of himself wasn't getting in the way.

"Why, I'm fulfilling a promise, of course." He glanced across the room at Jane, ignoring her flippant attitude for the time being.

"It's not his fault." Jane frowned knowing that Loki was rubbing in the fact that Thor had been unable to keep his end of his parting bargain. From time to time, Jane had been a bit sore about the whole situation. But, in the end, she knew that there was nothing either of them could do about it.

"You are so _very _forgiving, dear Jane." Loki smiled, but then he crinkled his brow to exaggerate a look of concern. "Then again, you haven't yet experienced his tendency to quickly lose interest in his conquests."

"I am not a conquest!" Jane shot up and stomped over to the sitting area a few feet from the couch where he reclined. "And, it is none of your business for that matter."

"I suppose that, for a midgardian, you do seem to have some sense about you. I'll give you that," Loki continued as if Jane hadn't reacted at all. "However, the goddesses of Asgard could tempt even the blind and senseless. There was one... Ísönd was her name. Her beauty was unparalleled and her _charms _were most bountiful-"

"Nice try," Jane crossed her arms and willed herself to keep steady and not give Loki the satisfaction of the reaction he was looking for. "I heard that you have a reputation for your silver tongue, but you're awfully transparent. You must be losing your touch."

Loki's bright, green eyes flashed towards Jane, causing her resolve to waver under his scrutiny. She battled her nerves to remain strong. All she could do was imagine perfectly blonde, gorgeous goddesses in their finery flitting around Thor and Loki while she stood there in her slouchy, cropped t-shirt and cut-off jeans shorts feeling absolutely ordinary and ridiculous.

Loki tilted his head forward as a smirk slowly grew on his lips.

"This deflection is most interesting," he smiled broadly, touching his fingers to his lips. "However, it serves only to magnify your insecurities and, dare I say, misplaced romantic aspirations?"

Jane's jaw dropped.

"You toil so desperately to understand a technology that is far beyond the mental capabilities of your woefully prehistoric midgardian minds," Loki continued. "It is a power that your kind can only dream of wielding. It could tear your realm to pieces. But, endeavor you must. Mustn't you, dear Jane?"

"I…I…" Jane stuttered.

"If you do not, Thor will be lost to you forever, but I fear that you will be old and grey before he returns to press his suit and offer a vow."

_Suit_? Jane frowned. Why was Loki talking about drycleaning? Then, she suddenly realized his meaning and doubled over clutching her stomach.

Loki watched her curiously, his brow furrowed. _Was she ill_? He noted, with some alarm, that she was trembling. He was taken aback when a gasping cry seemed to burst out of Jane. He had not taken her for an emotionally delicate female after the way she had handled his injuries in the place he now knew as 'New Mexico'. His alarm rose by not a few degrees—Loki did not want to deal with an incensed, blubbering woman who wept and sobbed at the drop of a helmet.

Without warning, Jane snapped upright as deep, rich laughter spilled uncontrollably out of her. Her face flushed, mirth apparent in her eyes and demeanor. Loki frowned as the sound filled the room. He could not remember the last time he had been in the presence of such merriment. He was the cause of this joviality, though she did not seem to be directing any ill will towards him. It was most curious.

"Marriage?" Jane gasped through her giggles as she shook her head. "Oh, my goodness."

Loki, still frowning, rose up on to his elbows and watched her as she fell to her knees beside him on the plush area rug. She giggled still; a strangely agreeable sound. His eyes widened with astonishment as Jane reached out and touched the tips of her fingers to the crook of his elbow and leaned in a little closer.

"I knew him for _three days_," Jane chuckled softly. "I kissed him because… well, I got caught up in the moment. It was pretty romantic- Thor going off to battle. It seemed like a good idea at the time. But, marriage?

"Oh no. Dinner, maybe. And, maybe _after_ dinner…" Jane trailed off in embarrassment, the color rising in her cheeks. She coughed and shook her head again. "I wouldn't have minded the opportunity to get to know him. But, not marriage. Never that."

Loki angled his head to study her as Jane looked away for a moment. Midgardians were strange creatures. Then, she turned back and grinned conspiratorially at him.

"Please tell me that the women in Asgard are not _that_ easy," Jane giggled again.

Loki was lost. _Easy_? A midgardian colloquialism no doubt. He did not try to decipher its meaning due to the fact that he was suddenly, inexplicably drawn to the sight of the exposed skin of her delicate neck and shoulder. Light danced tantalizingly through the shadows at their juncture down to the hollows of her collarbone. Loki was very acutely aware of the hand that still rested on his arm with only the thin weave of his tunic between them.

Jane noticed the look of confusion on Loki's face just as she realized that not only was she still touching him, but also that she was much too close for comfort. She removed her hand and stood up as quickly as she could without seeming rude though why she was concerned about his perception of her actions, she was not entirely sure.

After a moment of indecision, Jane turned away and returned to her boxes. It was then that Loki let out a barely audible but shaky breath.

_Was this the way midgardian women dressed at home? _He thought.

Her flimsy garments did nothing to conceal the smooth, creamy expanse of her bare midriff. The soft, grey shirt hung loosely to the side, its wide neckline exposing that bare shoulder with a hint of something reaching lower and her raggedy-looking blue short pants hugged her shapely behind in a way that was completely inappropriate...

A dark realization dawned on him. _Oh, she was a sly one._

Loki shot up off the couch, cleared his throat with a harsh cough and straightened his attire with unnecessary roughness. He was beginning to understand what Thor had found so appealing within such a short time. Her wide, brown eyes reminded him of the endless depths of the Eternal Sea and her soft, full lips seemed naturally and perpetually pinked.

He had to steel himself against this wily mistress of seduction. After all, he had only been in her presence for scarcely a few hours.

Jane looked up at the god who was suddenly watching her with unnerving intensity. He was acting rather strangely and it made Jane curious and apprehensive at the same time. She had to look away and tried to busy herself by unwrapping more curios but, she could feel the harsh gaze directed at her and was not brave enough to ask the reason for it.

Still feeling self-conscious, she reached up and pulled the chopstick from the messy bun she had fashioned earlier that evening. It had been a little warm in the apartment due to an unusually early summer, but it had cooled off quite a bit since then. Her long, chestnut locks tumbled free and settled loosely below her shoulders. Jane ran her fingers through her tresses to settle them and then shook her head slightly to relieve the tight feeling left from pinning up her hair.

An odd half-yelp, half-hiccupping sound came from somewhere across the room.

"What was that?" Jane frowned, muttering out loud. She shrugged when she could not determine the source.

Loki narrowed his eyes and began pacing back and forth while grumbling unintelligibly about something that Jane could not make out.

_It has been too long_, he groaned inwardly. But still, he was not some callow, unschooled adolescent. He had lived more than a thousand years and had had more lovers than he could recall. Far less than his so-called brother, but he knew enough regarding the fairer sex... or so he thought. So, why should he be affected by a mortal who amounted to so little in the grand scheme of all things?

Twice, he paused in mid-step as though he was going to say something but to no avail.

_He's lost his mind_, Jane thought with growing concern for her safety.

Gathering her nerves, she finally asked, "You never answered my question. Why are you here? What do you want?"

Loki stopped and turned. He looked angry and maybe a little confused. Imbalanced people were often times very confused.

_Oh dear_, she thought. An unpleasant, queasy sensation pooled in her gut when he did not immediately answer.

"B-because if you're here to kill me... That is completely unfair," Jane stood and yelled out without considering her words. "I saved your life, I think. And, that should count for something."

"Luck was simply on your side that night, Miss Foster," Loki all but snarled. Perhaps, quashing this annoyance was the answer.

"Luck or not, you're standing here now and you wouldn't be if I had not intervened. I think... I think you owe me," Jane upturned her nose and wondered if her assumptions had any merit, but the look on his face gave her some hope she was correct.

"You, Prince, are indebted to a mortal."

Loki marched towards her, far angrier than he had been just moments before. "So, Thor has schooled you well. Only you would be so bold as to invoke a life debt with me."

Jane had no idea what he was talking about, but she wasn't about to let on. If a so-called 'life debt' meant getting Loki to back off then that was what she was going to do.

"Um. Yes," she nodded. "That's right. I'm invoking...that. So, no more killing, maiming, threatening me or that sort of thing anymore."

Loki closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose and then exhaled loudly. When he finally opened his eyes again, they looked almost like molten silver with a twinge of green, and for a split second Jane could have sworn she saw a flicker of fear in them.

"So be it." Loki growled and waved his hand in a flourish. Jane felt another change in the air around them along with the tingling sensation of magical energy.

"What just happened?" The moment of dizziness was already passing, but something significant had obviously taken place.

Jane looked at Loki, but he only continued to stare silent daggers at her. There was an awkward pause between them and Jane did not know what to say next.

What was the proper etiquette for entertaining Asgardians in one's home? If he no longer intended to do her any harm was she supposed to offer him a drink? A snack?

"So… um…" Jane struggled to find something to say after a time. "Um. How are you healing now?"

Loki scoffed, "Spare me the pleasantries, Jane Foster. Do not tarry. Ask of me what you will."

Loki could feel_ it _inside him- the debt ached like a living thing; it waited eagerly to be repaid. He was unsure of how far the magic would take him. How much would he have to do before the debt was sated? How much was his life worth?

"What?" Jane asked, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Thor must have explained this to you," Loki snapped angrily at her. "Tell me what it is that you want. Now, woman! Do not toy with me."

Jane put her hands out in front of her, "Whoa. I don't want anything from you. I save you. You don't kill me. Isn't that good enough?"

Loki's heart plunged to his feet. _Excuse me_, he wanted to say. _ I must go destroy something_. Jotunheim was out of the question. _Perhaps, a good-sized city then._

"Are you okay?" Jane backed up a little, noting the way Loki was fairly hyperventilating. "Do you…uh… want some water or something?"

_Imbecile_! Loki started to pace back and forth once again. Frigga had always said he had a problem with jumping to conclusions and acting out without considering the ramifications. He had effectively tied himself to this mortal until the life debt was complete. Panicked thoughts raced through his mind. He needed to get out of here before he did something that topped this foolishness.

Jane bravely took a step forward and asked him again, "Loki? Are you alright?"

The gentleness of her voice unexpectedly stilled him. He looked down at her and saw the unfettered concern in her expressive, shining eyes. He knew at once that this was a creature so unlike him. So free from true guile and deceit. He had to be free from her.

"Your concern is unwarranted, Jane Foster." Loki stepped back, feeling more like himself again. He would make a plan. It would not be a difficult task.

Jane eyed him disbelievingly. Thor's brother was a conundrum. Emotions bounced through him like a—she groaned and slapped her hand to her forehead.

"I almost forgot!" Jane rushed over to the dining table to open the satchel she took to work each day. "I have something for you."

Loki eyed her warily as she fumbled through her bag to pull out some thin packages tied together with string. He recognized the items as personal correspondences from the Asgardian Royal Family. He frowned and backed away.

_No_, he shook his head over and over again. Jane paused when she saw his distress.

"I wasn't sure if I'd ever see you again," Jane said softly not wanting to upset him further. "But, I told them about what happened in Puente Antiguo. That you were okay. And, they've been sending letters. It's the best we can do with the condition of the bridge."

She slowly stepped towards Loki with her outstretched hands holding the letters up. When he didn't move, Jane came to stand in front of him. He looked stricken. His hands lay hanging at his sides so she took his right hand in hers and put the letters into his grasp.

For a long time, the apartment was silent as Loki looked at papers in his hand. It was as if he thought they would burst into flames if he so much as twitched. If Jane hadn't been staring at him so intently, she would have missed the momentary shift in his features as he blinked. She caught the infinitesimal quirk at the corner of his mouth and the release of the breath that had been stuck in his throat.

Jane fought the smile that threatened her mouth and lost. "See? I told you that they cared."

Loki remembered himself and narrowed his eyes at Jane. He was not happy to have shown any sort of emotion to this mortal woman. She already had too much power looming over him. He waved his hands and the package of letters blinked out of existence eliciting a surprised squeal of delight from Jane. Loki managed to suppressed an unanticipated smile of his own.

"I shall take my leave of you now, Jane Foster." Loki tipped his head.

Jane grinned, still satisfied with the fact that she had been able to deliver the letters from Loki's family to him. In a way, she was sad to see him go. She would have liked to see his reaction when he read the letters, but that would have been too personal a moment to share with anyone. For some reason, she did not expect that this would be their last encounter. And given the fact that she, most likely, did not have to fear for her life anymore, she was not opposed to seeing him again one day.

Unbeknownst to Jane, Loki's thoughts were not so dissimilar although the plans roiling around in his head might have worried her if she could have heard them. He began to raise his hand to command his magic to give him leave from her troublesome company.

Seeing he was about to go, Jane quickly shouted, "Be good!"

Loki looked as if he had been struck by mjolnir. A sensation washed over him and he recognized it as the debt compelling him to accede to her wishes. She smiled innocently at him not understanding the impact of her words.

He narrowed his eyes at her again and grumbled to himself. His pleasant evening of mayhem and destruction had literally gone out the window.

_She will be the death of me_, Loki thought.

Raising his hands again, he paused looking around the room. He saw the stacks of collapsed boxes collected from the task of unpacking. She was almost finished. He smirked causing Jane to nervously follow his gaze around the room.

"Until next time, Jane Foster," Loki gave her a charming smile before bowing his head. "Oh and… good luck."

Loki shimmered into oblivion before Jane could ask what he meant. Suddenly, the apartment shook violently as a maelstrom swept through it. Jane screamed and ducked for cover. She watched with horror as all the belongings she had painstakingly unpacked swooped back into their respective boxes which then resealed themselves. Then, everything went still.

She was speechless for a few seconds as frustration boiled inside her. Then, from somewhere and nowhere at all, Jane heard a distinctive laugh carried towards her like whispers on the wind.

"Loki!"

_To be continued_

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Poor Loki. He's really not having a good day! Reviews are greatly appreciated :) Pretty please?! Thanks for reading! Until next time….


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